You know the college football season is finally back when Kirk Herbstreit starts tossing bold takes. This year, he’s betting big on two comeback stories. One is a blueblood program trying to reclaim its seat at the power table. The other is a young QB who might be able to cool his HC’s hot seat. And if his vision pans out, the 2025 season won’t be just about Georgia, Ohio State, and Texas. 

Let’s start with the party invite that’s finally getting mailed back to Dabo Swinney. On July 16, The Pat McAfee Show posted an excerpt of Kirk Herbstreit on X where he tipped his hat to ACC champion Clemson. “When I say make a jump, I think Clemson kind of coming back to the party,” he said. “They’ve been away ever since Trevor Lawrence left. I think Cade [Klubnik] is ready to handle it.” That’s a loud endorsement for a Tigers team that’s been stuck in neutral since Trevor Lawrence rode off to Jacksonville. 

Clemson managed to sneak into last year’s expanded Playoff as the No. 12 seed, their first appearance since 2020. But they were bounced by Texas in a 38-24 Round 1 loss. But this year, the vibe feels different. Cade Klubnik, now a fourth-year starter, returns alongside his three top WRs, including Antonio Williams, Bryant Wesco Jr., and T.J. Moore. As Kirk Herbstreit pointed out, “I think they’ve got enough defense, new defensive coordinator, Tom Allen, takes over as their guy. I think they’ll be back.” 

The Tigers also have a pair of playmakers in LBs Wade Woodaz and Sammy Brown. And another important thing is that Clemson revamped its defensive approach by hiring Tom Allen as DC, which could flip the script. With 17 starters returning and portal reinforcements solidifying the D-line, Dabo Swinney’s squad could be favored in every regular game, including their home season opener against LSU on August 30. But don’t think Herbstreit stopped at Clemson’s doorstep. 

DJ Lagway is the SEC’s X factor

In the same segment, Kirk Herbstreit also made sure to throw a spotlight on Gainesville. Billy Napier’s Florida staged one of the quietest turnarounds of 2024, and he didn’t hesitate to pitch why DJ Lagway might be headlining this fall. The Gators looked like a team in freefall after a brutal 4-5 start. Losses to Miami, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas had critics ready to count the HC out. His seat was scorching by the middle of the season. But then came a late-season surge. In what was a surprising switch, the Gators boasted wins over LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State, capped by a Gasparilla Bowl beatdown of Tulane.

Florida finished 8-5, marking Billy Napier’s first winning season at UF. “(Napier) rallies them at the end of the year. They win a bunch of games,” Herbstreit said. “I was proud of Florida the way they kept fighting.” And the biggest spark is DJ Lagway. The former 5-star out of Texas took the reins mid-season and never looked back.

After taking over, he led the Gators to a 5-1 finish. His overall numbers (59.9% completions, 1,915 yards, 12 TDs, 9 INTs) won’t knock your socks off, but the eye test says otherwise, as Herbstreit added, “Lagway, to me, if you’re trying to find the guy that in the middle of October we’re talking about… That’s the guy… It’s DJ Lagway at Florida that I think a lot of people are going to fall in love with.” The only question is if we can be positive he’ll be fully healthy to exceed expectations.

So this season, it could be about Clemson crashing the elite party again and DJ Lagway turning Florida into must-see TV. We’ll see what goes down.